1. CHAPTER 10
Substance Abuse Policies
The Policy-Based Profession
An Introduction to
Social Welfare Policy Analysis
for Social Workers
Fifth Edition
Philip R. Popple & Leslie Leighninger
Slides by Heather Kanenberg, University of Houston, Clear Lake
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2. Substance Abuse
• In 2007 it is estimated that 19.9 million
Americans over the age of 12 (8% of the
population) were current users of illicit drugs
• Approximately 1.6% of those with drug or
alcohol related issues receive treatment in any
one year, but the costs of substance abuse in
terms of health care expenditures, crime, and
lost productivity totals in the billions each year
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3. Substance Abuse Policies:
The Problem
• Difficulty coming to consensus as there is a
fine line between use and abuse
• Substance Abuse impacts the individual,
family, organizational, community, state, and
national levels of our society
• Impact to: wages, productivity, pregnancy,
families, persons of color, particular ethnicities
& cultures, criminal justice system & law
enforcement, etc.
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4. Substance Abuse Policies: History
• Substance use was common place in the
1800’s and the idea of drug abuse was
virtually unheard of for decades.
• By 1855 the prohibition movement had taken
hold in the US and states were passing
individual temperance laws
• Development of the moral crusade against
alcohol and drugs – society begins to
stereotype those who use and abuse
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5. Substance Abuse Policies:
History (cont.)
• By 1960 the US had developed two policy
approaches to drug control:
– reduce supply through law enforcement
operations and
– reduce demand through treatment and
rehabilitation efforts
• Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and
Control Act of 1970
• The 1980’s brought the War on Drugs under
Regan
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6. Substance Abuse Policies:
History (cont.)
• Rise of Crack cocaine availability and usage
• MADD & the 1984 Act to set a minimum
drinking age
• 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law
Enforcement Act
• Shifts in trends away from crack to
prescription drugs, club drugs, and others
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7. Substance Abuse Policies:
Social & Economic Analysis
Social Analysis
• Treatment & rehabilitation
• Prevention
• Individual problem vs. societal problem
Economic Analysis
• Recognize industry of producers and their power
• Sale of Alcoholic beverages totaled 263.7 billion in
2007
• Lost productivity, family/individual wages, health
costs, etc.
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8. Substance Abuse Policies:
Political Analysis
• Multiple Stakeholders:
– MADD, NA, & AA
– Individuals, families, & employers of those who use
– Providers, Social Workers, Counselors, LCDC’s, etc.
– Law Enforcement organizations
– Federal/Governmental Organizations: State Department,
Surgeon General, Secretary of Health & Human Services,
etc.
– The industry and its representatives/lobbyists
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9. Substance Abuse Policies
• There are many policies that fall under the
umbrella of those designed to address
substance abuse
• Two discussed with detail:
– Mandatory drug testing for TANF recipients
• Implications for the individual; stereotypes;
assumptions; costs
– Separating treatment for those who are dually
diagnosed with both mental health and substance
abuse disorders
• Implications for the individual; stereotypes;
assumptions; cost
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